by Mike Morris
Overhead, two seagulls danced in the wind as the Abbot scrutinized Jack's face for what seemed like an eternity to the young priest.
He sighed deeply. "You have done many great things Jack since you joined us as a child. You have done everything that we’ve asked of you. But your life has been leading to this point. God has a plan for you that must be fulfilled. There’s a reason you’re on this earth just as there’s a reason that your brother died when he did. Unfortunately, even though we are His vassals, it is not for us to understand what His plan is."
"But..." began Jack but the Abbot put up his hand to silence him.
"It’s normal to be afraid, to doubt. Only the dead know no fear and you’re not that. Now’s the time to use that fear, channel it. You're going to play a vital role in this mission, Jack. I’ve seen it. God has shown me. So gather strength from that, if nothing else."
"I won't let you down, Father."
The Abbot placed his hand on Jack's shoulder. His grip was firm. "Have you met Nial? He is one of our greatest warriors. You’ll learn a lot from him and his men. He too, like you, has shed blood and lost men to this evil war we fight."
On hearing his name, Nial turned his attention back to the Abbot and Jack. He stuck out his hand for Jack to shake. "Pleased to meet you son. Heard a lot about you."
"And I you, Sir," replied Jack.
"Please, call me Nial. I look for the Abbot when I hear people say Sir."
"On that note, I’ll say my goodbyes and wish you all of God's blessings," said the Abbot. "Take care of each other and see yourselves safely home."
"My lord," said Nial with a stiff bow and Jack followed suit. They watched the old man make his way back down the dock towards the monastery. He soon became lost in the sea of bodies and equipment making their way towards them.
Jack took the opportunity to look for Lin. He scanned the deck of the Revelation without luck. Hopefully she was already onboard and out of sight.
"Jack. Have you been assigned to a boat crew yet?" asked Nial.
"Yes."
"I think we can still swap a few people about. There are some men I'd like you to meet. I want you to be a part of their team going ashore." He led him by the elbow to the three men he had seen earlier. "The man with all the knives is Alan." The man glanced up. His skin was almost olive-like in complexion and his eyes were deep, dark and unsettling. His hair was shaved to the bone but he wore a dropping mustache, silver-grey in color. He barely nodded his head in greeting before returning to sharpening his weapons. Black Dogs were known for being well armed but the man had a ridiculous amount of knives.
"The larger man is Robert Hammer, named after that beast of a weapon next to him.” The big man grinned at Jack as if he were meeting his best friend. The hammer in question was like a sledgehammer except the head was twice the normal size and one side had a spike designed to pierce armor.
"That's Will with him,” continued Nial. The man was immaculate in every way, as if he were about to go on parade instead of to war. “Men, this is Jack. He'll be taking the fourth spot in your boat."
"Welcome, young one. May God smile on you. I hope that sword of yours is sharp because we're going to have some fun on this one," said Robert.
"I thought gambling was a sin?" said Jack, looking at the dices in his hand.
"Ha! Young Jack," said Robert, white teeth gleaming through his black beard. "You’re right of course. Gambling is forbidden to any of the First Knights by God himself. But we're not gambling. We're merely discussing what the probability of certain numbers appearing when the dice are thrown. So what you're witnessing is an intellectual debate. Two great minds at work. Almost, one could say, a scientific experiment."
Will scooped up the coins that had been scattered before them and placed them neatly in front of himself. "And being far cleverer than my earnest colleague, I am being rewarded for my mental prowess. Of course, a competitor of a simian nature would have proffered more opposition than The Hammer here."
Robert looked at Will. "Simian?"
"A monkey," replied Will. "A baboon. An ape."
"Ha! True, brother, true. And an ape would perhaps have a bit more luck. And perhaps a bit more money. Jack, would you like to back me in further discussions? I feel my luck is about to turn."
"I'm afraid I have no money with me. I didn't think we'd need it," said Jack.
Will stood up, brushing his immaculate trousers with his hand while slipping the coins into a small pouch on his belt. "Your luck has changed, Robert. You've been saved from further humiliation. I'll see you both on deck."
"If I can give you only one bit of advice, Jack," said Robert as he too got to his feet. "Don't get involved with mathematical problems. Best leave that to the scientists. So did the Abbot give you something to think about?"
"He did. He said..."
"Ah, don't tell me. Best keep it to your self. I'm sure it was good advice whatever it was. None of it matters really when you’re over there as you know. We train, we plan and then we hope it doesn't go too wrong when it comes down to it. And more often than not, it does. Just remember, I'll have your back over there so you'll be okay. Not much gets past my little beauty." Robert lifted his gigantic hammer off the ground to show Jack. It was a brutal weapon, and needed two hands to wield it. Its shaft was made of oak with steel running down either side. The iron head glistened in the morning light. "We’ll die, Jack. There’s no avoiding it and no need to be scared of it. When Death comes calling for me, I'm just going to make sure I've taken every bastard demon down to hell with me that I can."
"You two!" called a voice from above. Nial stood on the gangplank. "Get yourselves on deck now. We've got a tide to catch."
Men covered the deck, their faces showing a wide variety of expressions. Excitement. Anticipation. Nervousness. Indifference. But all were ready. Keen to get moving. Eager to go to war. This is what they had all spent their entire lives training for. It all came down to the next thirty-six hours.
Jack was trying to spot Lin when Robert tapped him on the shoulder. "Come, let's go aft." They threaded their way to the rear of the ship where Alan was already leaning against the rail, looking out to sea. A lit pipe clasped in his mouth.
"All right, lad," said Robert.
Alan looked up for a moment. A small puff of smoke escaped his lips and then he went back to gazing at the water.
Robert leaned into Jack's ear. "I think that's the longest conversation I've ever had with the man. Things are looking up already!" His laughter echoed across the ship, causing everyone to pause for a moment.
Within another thirty minutes, they were away, slipping through the waves. The large black sail greedily took the wind. Jack watched the monastery shrink into the distance until Abios was nothing but a grey smear across the horizon. Seagulls followed the ship for a short time before they, too, returned home. Wise creatures, thought Jack.
"Robert, may I beg your leave? There is something I must do," he asked.
"Certainly son. Don't mind me. I'll see if there is anyone on board who wishes to discuss mathematics with me," said Robert with a wave of his hand.
Jack didn't have to look for too long before he found Lin, or rather Lin found him. As Jack passed by the stairs to the Captain's deck, she grabbed his shoulder. She still had her hood up by there was no hiding the sparkle of her smile. "We did it," she said with a quick squeeze of Jack's arm.
"So far," replied Jack. "We still have to work out how to get you ashore. Everyone is already assigned to specific teams and their canoes. I think they may notice a fifth person trying to climb in with them."
Lin laughed. "For a religious person, you don't have much faith."
"You are not the first person to tell me that."
"Well, believe," said Lin.
"I will pray that it is so."
"Who's this then?" Jack jumped at the voice. Lin stepped back under the overhang of the stairs. It was Robert, his hammer nestled comfortably on his shoulder.
/> "This is Samuel," replied Jack.
Robert offered his hand. "Nice to meet you. Bit young to be with us aren't you?"
"He's only a year younger than myself," said Jack.
"Can't he speak for himself?" replied Robert with a raised eyebrow.
"I can," said Lin, deepening her voice. Jack winced. It wasn't going to fool anyone but Robert seemed not to notice.
"You play dice?" he asked.
"S'no point. Got no money," she replied.
Robert shrugged. "Same as everyone else on this boat. Not a good start to our little trip." He slumped down on to the deck, crossing his legs as he leant back against the side. "You don't mind me joining you, do you? Not interrupting anything?"
Jack looked at Lin but there was no option but to agree. "I was going to suggest the very thing." They both sat down on either side of Robert with Lin sticking to the shadows as much as possible.
"Good. Hate being left to myself on these trips. Don't like thinking too much."
"Have you been with Nial a long time?" asked Jack.
"About ten years now, I think," he replied. "I was in awe of him back then. Everyone knew who he was. I think he was born the Big Man. I imagine him as a bloody big baby, being in charge from the moment he came screaming out from between his mother's thighs." He laughed at his own joke and Jack found it easy to join in.
"Our first job together was supposed to be an easy one," continued Robert. "There'd been tales of werewolves in Pyrford, a small town a day or so's ride from the capital. Livestock had gone missing. A couple of locals found slashed to ribbons. The usual nonsense. But the locals were all talking about werewolves.
"Werewolves! We laughed at that we did. Hadn't been one in Abios for centuries. Five of us went down. Thought we'd be taking on a wild dog at most. But Nial took it seriously. He said 'Hope for the best, expect the worst' and, I have to say, he was right."
"Werewolves?" asked Jack.
Robert scratched his stomach. His gaze seemed to veer off into the past. "We got there just before dark. Nial put two lads on sentry duty while Will, me and him met with the village leaders in the Inn. Really grateful to see us, they were. I had a kid, a young boy, sitting in my lap, while we're talking. Cute thing he was. Wouldn't take his eyes off me. Grabbing my beard with his little fingers. Pulling my nose. His parents kept trying to give us drink but we said no, better not, just in case. More locals turned up. Said they felt safer in there with us. Fair enough.
"Then the kid starts yawning. I ask the parents if he needs to go to bed and they just start laughing. The whole bloody place just starts laughing. We all join in, not really sure what's so funny. Then the little boy, still sitting on my lap, goes into convulsions. Will rushes over, being somewhat of a doctor but there's nothing he can do."
"The boy died?" asked Lin.
"Died? Not then. He didn't die for another minute and that was when he got my hammer in his head. He turned into a bloody werewolf, tried biting a lump out my arm. Would've reacted much quicker but I got distracted by the whole place changing into furry buggers. Turns out everyone living there were bloody werewolves and we'd been invited over to be dinner. They'd killed the sentries on the way into the Inn. Boys probably hadn't suspected a thing when they got gutted."
"My God," said Jack.
"My God indeed. We were back to back in there. Barely enough room to swing a cat, let alone my hammer. Once the pistols started firing, my ears were ringing. Gunpowder filled the place, made it hard to see. Bullets didn't work much. In the end, it just came back to sharp blades and strong backs. We just wanted to live more than they did."
"So hope for the best, expect the worst then?" said Lin.
"Yes, hope for peace, prepare for war. Still, it wasn't all bad," sniffed Robert.
"What do you mean?" said Jack.
Robert bent down and rummaged through his equipment. "Got this nice cloak out of it," he said, lifting a furry cloak up for them both to see. "Nothing warmer it turns out than a bit of werewolf pelt." He winked at Jack. "Now I plan on sleeping for the next thirty-six hours so, if you'll excuse me..." Robert pulled the cloak over him, fitting it snuggly under his chin and closed his eyes.
"Can I have your attention!" A voice called out from the center of the deck. "Find a space and gather round."
Robert popped one eye open, glared at Jack as if it was his fault before opening the other. "So much for that idea," he grumbled. The three of them stood. Lin pulled her hood forward as they made their way to the center of the boat. All the Black Dogs were there, some spreading onto the upper deck to get a better view. Others climbed the masts and hung from rigging.
The wind whipped grey streaks of cloud past as they watched Nial stride to the center of the deck.
35
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Squeezed in amongst the Black Dogs, her hood hanging low over her brow, Lin watched Nial address the troops. He was a good looking man despite his age, commanding the respect of everyone on board. Even Jack seemed in awe. His brow was wrinkled like it did when he really concentrated on something. She fought the urge to reach out and touch him. She smiled, thinking about how Jack would blush and squirm if she did.
"Brothers," called out Nial. Immediately the buzz of voices died down. "We are on our way to Grosnar, the Blood Castle. Its stone walls are stained crimson from all the lives taken there by the Nostros. God willing, we will wipe the rock clean. We’ll avenge all those ghosts and, at the same time protect our countrymen who wait at home.
"We’ll arrive an hour before dawn. Be ready. Know your crew. Know your boat. Speed and surprise are our weapons as much as the guns and swords we carry.
"We’ll make our way into the harbor, past all the ships moored there and head into the castle itself. Teams from the Great Hope will follow to destroy the armada so ignore the ships. Our job is to enter Grosnar and kill any Nostros we encounter.
"Stay with your teams. Do not allow yourselves to get separated. You don’t want to face any of the enemy alone. Together, we are stronger. With our brothers, we are deadlier.
"Before we leave, check all your kit again. Sharpen your weapons.
No one wants to go into battle with nothing but their dicks in their hands. We're men of God and that’s not allowed!"
The men laughed and someone called out "Speak for yourself."
Nial gestured for quiet again. "We fight for a greater good. God is on our side. But that does not mean we're not careful and we must do all we can to ensure as many of us as possible return to Abios. Our reward may well be in heaven but I am happy for it to wait for me awhile longer!"
More laughter rang out across the deck.
"Brothers, rest now for on the morrow we have one hell of a fight on our hands. May God bless us all." Nial turned and returned to the captain's cabins to the cheers of his men.
Robert slapped Lin on the shoulder. "Ah. Not too bad then. Lets hope no one has stolen our spot." He wandered off with the rest of the Black Dogs.
"Come with me," whispered Jack into her ear. "Let's find some space." They made their way to the stern of the ship. Only at its apex was there room to talk out of earshot of the other priests. The wind whipped their faces and Lin held her hood to keep it in place.
"I still haven't worked out how we are going to get you onboard a canoe. You heard Nial - all the teams are already assigned," said Jack.
"I'll find a way. Some opportunity will arise," replied Lin, gazing out towards the horizon. Grosnar was out there somewhere, waiting for them.
"It's still not too late to change your mind. Hide away on board until we return."
"You know I'm not going to do that. I keep thinking about Old Jahn and the others that I grew up with. They deserve the same chance that I got to be free. Especially now that war is on its way. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't at least try." Even thinking about it for a moment churned her stomach.
"It's just that if anything happened to you..." Jack reached out, placing his hand on her
arm.
Lin was aware of nothing else except the gentleness of his touch. They locked eyes on each other. Lin could see all the concern and affection he had for her. His emotions were an open book. She envied him for not having to hide every thought, every feeling from those around him. Until now. He’d need to learn now. They may have come from totally different worlds but their lives were intertwining faster and faster.
"Jack..." she began but a noise startled them. Jack dropped his hand, took a step back as he looked over to the commotion. A priest had knocked over a bundle of oars, waking some of his sleeping companions.
"We better get some rest," said Jack, turning away. He picked his way through the bodies scattered across the deck. A lone shadow.
Lin stayed awhile longer, breathing in deep lungfuls of sea air. She cleared her mind as she listened to the creaks and groans of the ship, letting the motion of the waves flow through her. In many ways, she had swapped one home in Grosnar for another in Whitehaven that was not that different. Stonewalls and small rooms. But here, at sea, Lin could appreciate how big the world truly was. Emptiness stretched out in every direction. She remembered her dreams of being a bird and flying away from Grosnar. Now she was heading back to it.
One day, if she survived, she would learn to sail, take a ship and see where the wind took her. She’d never let herself be confined within stonewalls again. The world was waiting for her.
Jack was settling down next to Robert, pulling his cloak over himself. Lin bowed her head, losing her face in the shadows of her hood as she made her way to join them. Perhaps he would leave the order and come with her. She smiled. She’d like that.
One of the boat's crew came round with food. Lamb stew. It was good, warming Lin. They'd been at sea for about eight hours and the winter night was already coming in fast over the horizon. A long night lay ahead of them as the temperature dropped.
The three ate in silence when Nial came over to chat. "How are you doing, lads?" he asked.
